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Youngster Ayush Mhatre, who has been making waves for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in IPL 2025, recently shared how he landed a coveted spot with the Yellow Brigade. Ayush Mhatre revealed how Mumbai Indians (MI) veteran Suryakumar Yadav played a pivotal role in making it to the IPL 2025 trials with CSK.
The 17-year-old batting sensation was brought into the CSK squad as a replacement for their injured captain, Ruturaj Gaikwad, midway through the tournament. He has quickly made his presence felt, scoring 163 runs in five matches with an impressive strike rate of 181.11. His most notable performance came on May 3 in Bengaluru, where he struck a stellar 94 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).
Revealing the story behind his CSK selection, Mhatre disclosed that Suryakumar Yadav informed him about Chennai Super Kings' interest in offering him trials. Following this, he received a call from AR Srikkanth, the head talent scout for the Chennai Super Kings, setting in motion his journey with the franchise.
“Surya Bhai (Kumar Yadav) told me that ‘CSK is looking for you and they will call you. So, be ready. I was mentally ready. After that, Shrikanth sir told me that ‘you have to come for the two days here. We have to watch you closely. So, I was very excited to be a part of this team. I was very excited to give the trials and to have the net session with the CSK team,” Mhatre was heard stating in a video uploaded on Chennai Super Kings’ official YouTube channel.
The talented right-handed batter fondly remembers a period spent alongside his Mumbai teammate, Suryakumar Yadav during the 2024-25 Vijay Hazare Trophy. This tournament proved to be a significant one for Mhatre, as he showcased his batting prowess by amassing an impressive 458 runs across seven matches. His stellar performance included two centuries and one half-century, culminating in a remarkable highest score of 181 against Nagaland.
“In Vijay Hazare, I had spent time with him. A really good time with him. He always supported me well and he always boosted my confidence. If I got out on two or three innings , he always tells me ‘don’t lose your confidence. Be confident and especially on the field you have to show that, you don’t have to show that you have under confidence, you have to show the opposite team that you have confidence. Play what you have and what you are here for. So play that game,” he added.
MS Dhoni-led CSK have already been eliminated from contention for the IPL 2025 playoffs. They are currently biting dust at the bottom of the IPL 2025 standings with just six points from their twelve matches played.
Despite their playoff hopes being dashed, CSK still have two matches remaining in the season. Their next encounter will be against Rajasthan Royals (RR) on May 20. Following this, they are scheduled to face Gujarat Titans (GT) five days later on May 25.
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